President Donald Trump has announced a 10-day extension to his threat to strike Iranian energy infrastructure, pushing the deadline to 6 April. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed the delay came at Tehran's request and that talks were proceeding "very well", despite Iranian officials dismissing the suggestion as "fake news". The original threat was issued after Iran was accused of failing to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, with a five-day pause granted earlier this week.
Meanwhile, blasts were heard in Beirut's southern suburbs early on Friday in what local media described as another Israeli strike on a Hezbollah stronghold. The area, typically densely populated, has largely emptied since renewed hostilities began on 2 March. Israel has continued bombing southern Lebanon and sent ground troops to establish a "defensive buffer zone". Hezbollah claimed to have launched over 90 attacks on Israeli targets on Thursday, while Israeli strikes have killed at least 1,116 people in Lebanon since March, according to Lebanese authorities.
Separately, the Israel Defence Forces chief of staff, General Eyal Zamir, warned that the military could "collapse in on itself" due to increasing demands and manpower shortages. Speaking at a security cabinet meeting on Thursday, Zamir highlighted the need for new conscription and reserve duty laws, saying the IDF would soon be unable to perform routine missions. Opposition leader Yair Lapid also cautioned that Israel was facing another security disaster, with the army sent into a multi-front war without sufficient resources.
In the financial markets, South Korean shares fell more than 3% and Japan’s Nikkei headed for a fourth straight weekly decline amid fading hopes for a ceasefire. In Yemen, Houthi officials dismissed concerns that if Trump seizes Iran's Kharg Island, they might be asked to attack Red Sea shipping, stating there was no need to worry. The developments come as tensions across the region remain high, with the US-Israel military campaign against Iran ongoing.
